The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for the removal of ants and ant larvae from an ant mound. More specifically, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for the removal of ants and ant larvae from an ant mound, whereby a liquid bearing member is inserted into an ant mound, an evacuation chamber is secured over the ant mound, the ant mound is inundated with a liquid, which raises the level of the liquid in an evacuation chamber secured to the ant mound, subsequently capturing the ants and ant larva in a collection device in operable communication with the evacuation chamber.
Those skilled in the art have, for a long time, appreciated the futility and frustration associated with the control and elimination of ant colonies. In particular, one of the most destructive, aggressive, and difficult to control types of ants comprises the imported fire ant (Order: Hymenoptera, Family: Fomicidae, and Species Solenopsis richteri and Solenopsis invicta). Researchers believe that the first Solenopsis richteri ant arrived from South America at the port of Mobile, Ala. in 1918. Additionally, the first Solenopsis invicta ants also arrived at the port of Mobile sometime between 1933 and 1945. In the absence of any program of federal quarantine, prior to 1958 the fire ant population grew unchecked through the Southern United States increasing at a yearly rate of nearly 150,000 hectors per year. After several decades of unchecked growth, even federal quarantine efforts proved futile in controlling the spread of the fire ants. The average rate of expansion of imported fire ants steadily increased to nearly 2,400,703 hector per year, despite vigorous efforts to control their population growth. The infestation spread rapidly in all directions, with movement to the North slowed in recent years, likely due to climactic limitations. In more recent times, fire ants have been introduced to Puerto Rico and have expanded Westward into Western and Central portions of Texas. Presently, fire ants are found in over 280,000,000 acres in all or part of 670 counties or parishes, in II southern states plus Puerto Rico.
Fire ants indiscriminately build mounds in areas like play grounds, parks, school yards, open fields, roadways, and lawns, with concentrations of up to 400 mounds per square acre. The mounds can range up to several feet in diameter, and can extend up to six feet below ground. Additionally, the mounds can contain horizontal tunnels that can extend 75 to 130 feet in length. Obviously, with such an extensive network of mounds and tunnels the ants quickly overwhelm the area of infestation.
The fire ant has proven to be a nearly indestructible insect responsible for hundreds of millions of human stings each year. The sting frequently causes a painful long lasting irritation, and due both to the high concentration of the number of ants per mound and the number of mounds per area of infestation, multiple stings are the rule rather than the exception. Fire ants have been responsible for the death of not only livestock, but also in some cases humans--in particular young children and the elderly. Consequently, a tremendous amount of effort has been concentrated into the removal and eradication of fire ants.
Many of the methods of eradication focus on the use of pesticides and chemicals to control the ant population. These methods suffer from the drawback of introducing dangerous and poisonous substances into the ground where they pose a risk to the water table, wild life, livestock, and to the human population who may come into contact with the substances. The danger of toxins is compounded by the fact that elimination of a fire ant mound requires complete saturation of the area of the mound including saturation well below ground to reach the entire colony, and in particular the queen. Therefore, topical applications of toxins, or less than complete saturation of the ant mound, merely results in a minor dislocation of the population. Frequently, attempts to eliminate ants from one area simply leads to the spread of the colony to adjacent areas through the creation of new mounds.
Additionally, many species of ants actually provide beneficial effects. In some cases, individuals develop or cultivate ant populations for commercial purposes. In these situations, individuals often need to transport or remove ants from one colony to another, or to remote locations, without damaging or destroying the ants.
Accordingly, a need exists to remove ants and their larvae in an effective and environmentally nondestructive manner, that does not require killing the ants or ant larvae.